Influence of AIDET in the improving quality metrics in a small community hospital - before and after analysis

Abstract

Background: As the US healthcare system is becoming a more outcomes based system, increasing emphasis is being paid to improving all aspects of health care delivery. Interpersonal and communication skills, an ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) core competency in resident education, play a fundamental role in this effort. This aspect of healthcare delivery is also part of Medicare hospital reviews. In our hospital, the administration has introduced AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank you) as a communication strategy which promises to improve exchange of information between healthcare professionals as well as with patients and their families. Objective: Determine if the AIDET strategy used in our facility has improved patient satisfaction. Methods: This study was done using pretest post test experimental design. Patient satisfaction was measured using scores from the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) quarterly reports from the 3 rd quarter of 2010 to the 2 nd quarter of 2013. Pre and post AIDET implementation results were statistically analysed using a paired t-test.Results are reported as a p-value with < .05 being statistically significant. Results: There were a total of 1,811 patient responses sampled from the 3 rd quarter of 2010 to the 2 nd quarter of 2013. A significant change < .05 was seen in the way Nurses Explain, Doctors Explain and Nurses listen in the pre and post AIDET implementation comparison. The change in percentage of patients that believed doctors and nurses explained things to them in a way they could understand showed a p-value of .02. The trend in percentage of patients that perceived that nurses always listened carefully to them showed a p-value of .02 as well. On the other hand, the data evaluating how doctors listened carefully to them did not reach statistical significance with a p-value of .08. The remaining categories of "Told About Medication" and "Help after Discharge" were both found not have changed significantly either. Conclusions:The implementation of AIDET education may have had a significant impact on provider-patient communication in our facility, especially in the patient's perception of explaining things in a way they could understand. On the other hand, in the responses to the question of whether or not doctors listened carefully to them, there was some improvement over time, however this did not achieve statistical significance.

The Inpatient Experience of Emerging Adults: Transitioning From Pediatric to Adult Care

“…For nurses, early emerging adults noted their worst experiences in the categories of nursing attention to patient's needs and the skill of the nurses. Zamora et al ( 27 ) found that when nurses and physicians implement the “acknowledge, introduce, duration, explanation and thank you” (AIDET) model, which aims to standardize provider–patient interactions, it improves patient experience quality metrics. Braverman et al ( 28 ) also found that when medical residents receive AIDET training, Press Ganey physician communication scores improve between pre- and posttraining patient surveys.…”

Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems

“…During the perioperative phases, transfer of information is imperative. Implementing a communication strategy can improve the information exchange among health care professionals, patients, and patients’ families …”

“…During the perioperative period, patients experience stress that can result in a decrease in information retention . The Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank You (AIDET) communication process was first developed by Quint Studer, a former teacher who became a hospital administrator . Implementing a communication tool like AIDET creates an environment conducive to patients and family members retaining surgical information.…”